SalMar Aker Ocean picks new chief
A new man has been appointed to lead SalMar Aker Ocean, potentially one of the most exciting fish farming operations over the next decade.
The group is a joint venture between fish farming giant SalMar and the industrial investment company Aker ASA.
He is Roy Reite, currently General Manager of the seafood company Fjordlaks, and takes over as CEO of the joint venture, which plans to produce 150,000 tonnes of sustainable salmon at further offshore locations around the world.
Reite replaces Olav Andreas Ervik, who announced his resignation after just a few weeks, citing family reasons and the long commute from his home in Lofoten.
SalMar Aker Ocean Chairman Atle Eide said: “Roy Reite has valuable international experience from industrial construction and Norwegian finance, and he has in-depth knowledge of coastal culture.
“He provides insights that are important and necessary to realise SalMar Aker Ocean’s ambitions.”
Reite has considerable experience, working with large construction projects in the maritime sector and offshore, and has been at the helm of Fjordlaks for the past three years.
For 20 years he was a key leader in Aker Yards and CEO of what is now the shipyard group Vard. Reite has considerable experience of leading companies, and he has contributed to building a business with more than 10,000 employees and a turnover of NOK 12bn (£1bn).
He said: “In SalMar Aker Ocean, I see a company with significant growth potential and that motivates me strongly.
“The company has determined, knowledgeable and capital-strong owners in combination with skilled employees and concrete plans to create a new, Norwegian industrial adventure with international ambitions, and the foundation for it all is the belief in – and the need for – sustainable production of healthy seafood.”
SalMar Aker Ocean has already completed two production cycles with Ocean Farm 1, and the company is now building a new and larger version, Ocean Farm 2, which is under development.